Studies on new aza-macrocycles - III. Syntheses, characterization and complexing behavior of substituted unsymmetrical aza-macrocycles

Five new unsymmetrical aza - macrocycles, incorporating sp(2) and sp(3) nit rogen atoms as donor sites and with donor group - bearing side arms attache d to the sp3 nitrogen atoms, L-1 - L-5, were synthesized. Their complexes w ith different kinds of metal cations such as Na+ , K+ , Cu2+ , Co2+ , Ni2, Hg2+, Cd2+, Ru2+ were prepared and characterized by EA, IR, UV, NMR and M S spectroscopy. Some of the ligands can efficiently transport alkali and tr ansition metal cations across an organic membrane with high transport selec tivity ratio, especially in the case of Na+ /K+ selectivity for L-1 and Hg2 +/Ni2+ selectivity for L-2.